The wreckage of a light aircraft recovered from the North Sea with human remains inside was a plane missing since last year, investigators have confirmed.

The German-registered Cessna 172 was discovered off Shetland on Friday afternoon and brought ashore by a fishing boat on Sunday.

A spokesperson from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said they were informed part of the German-registered Cessna had been found on Friday by the crew of a Peterhead trawler.

The Benarkle II brought the wreckage ashore to Lerwick harbour on Sunday.

The light aircraft lost contact over the North Sea in the area between Shetland and Norway on 30 September 2023.

The single engine four-seater plane had taken off from Uutersen Airport in Heist, Germany with one person on board at about 10:30 and lost contact about six hours later.

A report from German investigators Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU), published in April, said the 62-year-old pilot had stated he was travelling south to Bayreuth, but immediately after take off headed in a north westerly direction.

It also said that he had requested an aircraft with autopilot and had told his wife that morning that she could not accompany him as planned.

The AAIB said it was supporting investigations by Police Scotland and the German authorities.

A spokesperson said: “We were informed that the remains of a German registered Cessna 172, which was lost in the North Sea in September 2023, had been recovered by a fishing vessel on 6 December and brought to shore in Shetland on Sunday.

“The AAIB is supporting Police Scotland and working with the BFU to assist their safety investigation.”

Police Scotland confirmed human remains were found inside the small aircraft, which was recovered from the water north-east of Lerwick, Shetland.

A spokesman for the force said inquiries were ongoing.